Immunochemotherapy in advanced neuroblastoma

Abstract
Twenty-two children with advanced (Stage III and IV) neuroblastoma have been treated in a nonrandomized fashion, half with a three-drug regimen consisting of vincristine, adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide, and half with this same drug combination plus the nonspecific immunostimulatory agent, MER/ BCG. The addition of MER to the three-drug combination appeared to improve the duration of survival in this pilot study. The median duration of response was less than one year in the combination chemotherapy alone arm. The median duration of complete remission in children treated with the addition of MER has yet to be reached at 24 months.